Blacklands Cafe

Our personal technology commentator, Rick Miller, describes some new products that may bring clean drinking water to people around the world who desperately need it, including a "drinkable book" and the "Lifestraw."

Texas A&M University-Commerce economics professor Dr. Dale Funderburk says, while Texas' central geography played a role, the state's business climate had more to do with the move of Toyota's California headquarters to Plano, bringing 4,000 high-paying jobs.

In a continuation of our recent visit, Texas A&M University-Commerce athletic director Ryan Ivey says the new basketball/volleyball floor in the Field House is nearly finished, and will be ready for this weekend's commencement exercises. And Ryan shares more thoughts about the possibility that A&M-Commerce could move up to NCAA Division 1 someday.

Commerce Humane Association president Jody McIntier says pit bulls are loving and loyal dogs, but their powerful physiques and jaws make them more dangerous than other dogs. She says they are good family pets, but cautions against pit bulls as pets for families with small children.

Commerce High School head football coach and athletic director Scott Wells is leaving for a position as defensive coordinator at Sunnyvale High School, Commerce ISD Blake Cooper says. But Blake says that he's already received numerous excellent applications for the position.

Cooper Review editor Cindy Roller says Delta County Judge Herb Brookshire has announced some new grants, and Delta County volunteer fire departments, suffering from funding cuts, will be seeking contributions on May 16.

Dr. Stacy Bishop, assistant professor of Health and Human Performance at Texas A&M University-Commerce, and an expert in the field of nutrition, discusses myths about sugar. Stacy says, as with most things, it's a matter of moderation.

Commerce Mayor Dr. John Ballotti says the city has received a grant to make repairs to the runway at the Commerce Municipal Airport north of town, and has hopes of extending the airline in the near future so that jets could land there. And the city and A&M-Commerce will cooperate so that Commerce citizens can swim at the Morris Recreation Center pool this summer. Also, the mayor says Phase 2 of the street improvement project is on schedule.

Hunt County has a rich baseball tradition, according to Hunt County Historical Commission chairman Carol Taylor. Greenville recently observed the 65th anniversary of the minor-league Greenville Majors defeating the mighty New York Yankees in an exhibition game. The legendary Monty Stratton of "The Stratton Story" fame was from the Greenville area. And "town teams" from almost every community in Hunt County used to play each other in fun, and sometimes fierce, competition.

A play written by Carol Burnett and her late daughter Carrie Hamilton, "Hollywood Arms," opens in the University Playhouse at Texas A&M University-Commerce at 8 p.m. Tuesday, and continues with 8 p.m. performances through Saturday night and a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Director Jim Anderson is the guest on "Blacklands Cafe."

Community Seeds of Lone Oak director Bert Cooper discusses the organization's community garden. Community Seeds defines its mission as to "to operate as a clearing house for area churches, to serve the economically disadvantaged and under served people of our area, with emergency assistance and programs to empower and encourage them to become self-sufficient."

Grammy-Award winning music producer, guitarist, and singer-songwriter Brad Davis says "the more the merrier" when it comes to the expected opening of a facility for area musicians in the old A.L. Day Elementary School building, under the flag of the New Orleans-based Tipitina's organization. Brad says he is extremely busy producing music by new artists in his downtown Commerce recording studio. And he says he'll be the host for a new Louisiana Hayride TV and radio program produced in Shreveport.

Texas A&M University-Commerce athletic director Ryan Ivey discusses construction of the new basketball/volleyball floor in the Field House and plans for the new varsity softball facility, which is expected to be ready for play in the fall. Ryan also discusses the possibility of varsity baseball at A&M-Commerce.

Texas A&M University-Commerce economics professor Dr. Dale Funderburk says the stories of statistical similarities in the current performance of the stock market and the weeks leading up to the catastrophic crash of 1987 are noteworthy, but predicting the behavior of the market is always risky.

The director of development for the Texas A&M University-Commerce College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Wyman Williams, discusses two major upcoming events, a reception for Commerce-area A&M-C/ET alumni from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 16 in the Alumni Center. And, kicking off the 125th anniversary year of the University, a "reveal" of a new heritage logo and apparel featuring a combined A&M-C/ET logo takes place from 3-6 p.m. Thursday, April 24, in the University Amphitheatre.

Herald Banner and Commerce Journal editor Caleb Slinkard discusses what it's like to be in charge of a newspaper on a night like last Thursday, April 3, when violent spring weather hit Hunt County. He says the city of Greenville is urging more people to sign up for CodeRED, the automatic severe-weather notification system.

The report that the city of Commerce Animal Shelter will be operated as a no-kill shelter with help from a group of animal lovers is good news, says Commerce Humane Association president Jody McIntier, but she says there are large challenges in running a no-kill shelter.

Hunt County United Way executive director Frances Dalbey says the organization will host the "Power of the Purse" luncheon as a fund raiser Thursday (April 10) at noon at the Wesley United Methodist Church of Greenville. Mamie McCullough, the "I Can Lady," is the featured speaker.

With STAAR testing underway this week, Commerce Independent School District superintendent Blake Cooper says the state legislature made progress in reducing the number of standardized tests for secondary students from 15 per year to five, and he hopes similar progress will be made for elementary-age children in the next legislative session. And Blake says the Commerce ISD is now part of the Texas High Performing S

Commerce Mayor John Ballotti says, even though the emergency pick up period for limbs from last December's ice storm is over, the remaining limbs are being picked up as part of the city's regular series of curbside refuse pickups. And the mayor says he's appointed a committee to bring back the Farmers' Market on Bonham Alley in downtown Commerce.

The editor of the Cooper Review, Cindy Roller, says law enforcement agencies are investigating a series of cattle thefts in Delta and Hopkins Counties. Cindy also says the water level in Cooper Lake remains very low.